Dirigible frame



Jan. 13,` 1931.

D E. Ross DIRIGIBLE RAME Filed March 11. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 13, 1931. D. E. Ross DIRIGIBLE FRAME Filed March 11. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 13, 1931. D. E. Ross' DIRIGIBLE FRAME Filed March 11, 1929 5- Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jae; is., `1931 Devin E. Ross-or. I'AAYETTEQ'lIANnIANA l.

' Y f DIRIGIBLE This invention is en improvement in dirigii ble :air ships of the sofcall'ed Zeppelin type. The object of the presentr invention is to provide a frame 'for the body of the eirship which.l

5 will* resist'both .longitudinal and torsional strains,willfbe of'minimum Weight for vvolumetric-capacity, andrwill be'practically. rigid but have..suiiicientflexibility'v tofbreeth'el; Without injuring any pertstliereof; andalso' 10 fwill have Very few `expensive .Estructural be comparatively inexpensive yshapes, and

-rTheimmens1in Short; provides a dirigirse' lframe.'hailing an internal compression mem-i 15 ber, -external tension*V members, disten'dmgv members .for holding' the tension` membersin position and resilient members et the ends of the tension members to prevent unduestresses l uponenyof the before mentioned members, kY0 sndprevent abnormal stresses upon the smellyer tension` members.

More Y specically the tremel` comprises e center'compression member, preferably hol-V low, extending` axially `f`through; 'the ,entire external fcontour to `the diri giblebody. Fur-v ther thecompression memberend-distending members ferevso 4 constructed that air fis; conloW lcompression member fand distending membersfto points rearwerdlyfot 4themiXii lmumdiawmeter of the bodythus relieving the pressure' at' the front fend of the'bodyfnd theatmosphere'.`

ance With-*my invention-3 `and en understanding thereotwill enable oth'ers'toA adoptent] i use the invention. lnfthe .claims followingy .ing.thefdistendmg members andforming'V `therewithA enfenter*treme` to which 'enfont er 190 f the description I have summarizedv tlieessen- `iltials oftheinventionend the novel.j features (fastened, to tlieldistending members. o A inner ends;vofthesegspoles:may betatteched` 80. f

ducted fromithepoint ofhighestfaii-pressure 7 et the nose othe'strncture through the hol-r 'members 6 k.are i'preferebly f arranged` longi thel partial vacuum r`at the reer-oftliebody, I e E tudinally ofA the structure,: endimpertgreat f,

- thereby reducing the naturelv forces tending-A 4 to retard rapid trnyel'of the cli-rigiblewthroughdirigible vbody Vtrame constructed in f accord-f 'of` construction` and. novel combinations io'f "i parts'fori which' protection is desired.V

Insaid drawingsy U f Fig. 111s a side View-ofthe dirigible ifra'm'fn,

the outer coveringfor skinbeing remoVeda.55...l

` Fig. 2 is .e longitudinalsection '.thr'ough.,

.omitted torthes'al o-cleerness. {i5-,f if', .Y

#F g. 351s .-an enlarged,deteilfsectionel yiewl 1. of. theframe, the centralportion v thereoffbef- 6.9; ing broken-mtfety., a y l Fig.; 1'., manyfoffthe tensionemembers;being;` i

taken on t'hefline4--4k j Q .Fig-351;; 0; ,i Figs. 5,6 and 7.eredeteilyiewscf'variousz forms of resilient end V`ple tes.z.. f

' Fige isa'n"enlargedtrensifersesection".A i Y' of anyudesiredcontour:'in cross section,"agilit i is made hollow.fforsthefpurposeotlightne and strength, and falsos. preferably ftapere from front 'to rear as. indicated -in .l,Fig.-'

Thismember may b formed ofgany silitztble, ivr` metal, having:'greetjstrength'fandflightness v ySurronnding;thisCompression memberereia. Vseries 'ofdiste'nding; members 2 Vend; 2d`,.,.

Whichare, preferably` annuler, and are sup-.f Lj l Aported upon the.V comp'ression,v member 1. and.

axially 'centered relzttively .thereto by spokes 'i 3 `sind 8a, the; outer; endsof which spokes Aare The to the Vcompression.member .in-enyjsuitevlofle Way, \prefereblgy.by.4 meens-- ofL hubl i' pieces",i L

.andenesshown ,thedrawings.;y f; e AL .plurality of tension members 6, Whic Vare lpreferably rods or.cfbles, iextendl longi-4 8L v tudinally oftr they ramennd garefztttachedyto q -I the ,peripheries Volifthe`l Various distending'g, y

V membersZend .Qa/enelet'their,extremities.tenV 1 theends-of thecompre'ssioni'member. Tl1e j Y stiii'ness thereto; L further providefothentens dicated in Fig; 1,-.the .intersecting diegonalff j 'i tension members? Vforming` :a network enclos- 65A Theicentrelcompression .member lmeylbe, j

f ment allowin'giftto bec-ome morefrigid asftlie ing large pay lo cube of `itsgrolume increases'wvitlr the square, making `the Unit costsv tu'dinal axiallyfdisposedt-ubular compression member formingan air duct, a series oflspaced distendlng ,members surrounding v they compression member andtension members. eX-.

tending spirally lengthwise ofthe frameand connected to the compression,memberfand to` the distending members, saidtension mem 'bersspiralling in opposite directions. y

2. A dirigible having hollovi1 distending members in rear, of the maximum diameter oi' the dirigible .provided \vitlifrearvvardly opening slots'for the kescape offair, andv means vfor directing air 'from the front 'endof the i dirigible intosaid hollow distendlng` mem"V bers for'thepurposes specified. A.

` 3. In a dirigibleframe :is set forthin claim l,springy plates connected to the ends of the compression` `member7A lto which Yplates, the endsoi thetensionmembers are connected.

4l.A A dirigible having atubul'arcompresy sion member, `and'fhollow'fdistending member'sf'in rear of the3maximin'n diameter-ofthe, dirigible provided jwith;rearwardly open-* `ing slots for'the esca-pe ofc-air, and'means po,-

sitionin'gv the distending members includ ing `tubular spokesfor admitting air from thecompression member into saidfannular distending I nembers.'y

SQA dirigible frame 'comprising a tubular. compression ymember formingan alrduct, a series of spaced annular dlstending mem-` bers concentric to and'surrounding the compression member, means for discharging airfrom the duct at the periphery of the dirigible and in rear of the maximum dia-meterthere- 4 of,-mean.s lixedly connecting the distending members With the compression member, andv spirallpv disposed. tension members yieldably connected to the ends Aofthe compression member and also connected to the distendingg members, saidtension membersgsp'iralling inV oppositedirections.

6. A dirigible' frame comprising a tubular compression'- member forming an airduct, a

series orfspaced annular distending members Y concentric toand surrounding the compression member, means iixedly positioning the 1 distending-members relative'to the compression member, a series of longitudinally dis-Y posed vtension members connected with thecompression member and the'` Adlstendlmg" members, and sets of spirally disposed ten# sion members connected to the ends ofthe' compression member and with the distending members, said .tension members spiralling in` opposite directions.

7 In adirigible `:issetV orthj inv claim V 6 `-'fsp'ringplates connectedto Vthe ends of the` reduced?ier''transport g axially disposed compression memberfermvingan air duct, af-serie'sof'spaced annular disltend-ing membersconcentric to {and-'surround- 9. A dirigible freine comprising atubular ingimem :Lof longitudinally disposed tension vconnected With-tbe endsof the'comi V {pressio'n-l member and??v with f the "distendingmembers, zindsstsv of smaller spiralling terrsion members connected te 'the {ends ofV vthe Vingmembers.

'spring` plates connected' lto the ends ofthe s memb ersV 'extending ispiralljy fin opposite di ksome ofk the fdi'stending 'members' atf the 'rear of", lie maximumdi'ameterf o fthejdirigible compression members and to;` which the ends oit'tl'iev tension members'arefconnected.4 -A- diriglble iframe co1ii} rising aV tubular ing' the' compression'membei means fixedlvv. connecting the distendmg members Withthe compressionmember,a series of longitudinallydisposed tension membersyieldably .75

connected rto' the ends' .ofr the compressionk memberandalsolconnected tothe distending members,- end sets 'of spirally disposed tendis ,e

` i*oiinding, 'tlie spaced compression member,

and sjpgl'esl .iiXedly connecting" the" distend bers with. thefcompressi'on membe a se men ners compression member' land vvith the? distend lng members, `sa1d. setsof smallerL members Vexte ding isprrallfv in, opposite directions.

some; otliedistending members atthe rear or? the"muimumA diameterof `the dirigiblex being hollovvfy and?havingjrearwardlyopen; Y ingy yslots `forthe escape of" air, and their spokesbeing tubular to admit air iom the compressi onmelmber lto said annular distend';I 1

41r., In :asdirigibiel as ser am; in' @151m r9 theltension members-are connectedV 1Q". A dirigibleframecomprising a tubular" axially disposedcompressionmember form?r 'f ingV an air d`u ct,'a`serie`sof spaced'ann'ulardistending -inembe'rs concentric tdifand sur#v rounding they spaced feompression 'member, andspolies 'ixe'dly connecting` theldistending members with .the compression member, a; se-

compressionmember and to which the end's'fH ries of' longitudinally disposed 'tension "mem,

bef-S Yieldablyconnected? 'with the ends of the compressiony member also'connectedfwith. 120 the `distending members; and s malle tensionv f members yieldabljy connected! to thejjendssof l the compression member und also 'connected` Withf: the distendifng, members, saidA smaller 1 reclions. y ,v a dirigible assetforth inJ claim T12,

rie

kseries of longitudinally disposed tension Y tension members.

members igieldingiy connected at 'their ends to the ends of the compression member and also connected et intermediate points to the distending members, and setso't tension members simiiarly yieldingly connected to the compression member and to the distending members said tension members spiralling in opposite directions.V g -f l l5. A ,d'jigible fra-me comprising an axially disposedcompression member; e series ytot spaced distending members surrounding theV compression member.; tension members extending romone' end ci the tramejto the otlier andconnected at intermediate points to Y tbe distencing member7 said tension i'i'iembers spirallinff in opposite directions; and resilient lconnections between tbe ends of .tbe ten,-

Ysion' members sind ytlieends of the compression memberto'prevent excessive lateral ,defleetingstresses on their-ame breaking said 16. A dirigible frame comprising ay compression member; a. series of spaced distend- Y ing members surrounding the compression member; a series of longitudinally disposed tension members extending from one end ot Voi the frame to the other and connected at intermediate points to the distending members; sets of tension members extending spirally lengthwise of tbe frame, said spiral sets of tension members spiralling inV opposite direetions; and resilient connections between Vthe ends of the tension members and the ends of tlie compression member to prevent excesmembersy spiralling in Yopposite* directions; and springplates connected to the ends of the compression member to which plates the ends of the tension members are connected to preventexcessive lateral deflecting stresses on tbe 4frame breaking said tension members.

19.*A ydirigible frame comprising .a compression member, Va series of spaced distending members surrounding the compression member, a. series of longitudinally disposed v `tension members connected to the com ression `iifieinber and the distending mem ers, sets 01"' oppositel)7 spiralling tension members extending'lengthwise of the frame and connectedto the compression member and to tlic distcnding members; and spring plates connected to 'the ends of the compression member to vwhich the ends of the tension members are connected.

sive lateral d'eflecting'jstresses on the frame "Jv breaking said tension members.

17.Y A rlirigibleirame comprising an ax- -ieilv compression member; a series oit iced' ennulnrdisten ling members concentric to andsurrounding tlie'compression member; tension members connected to the dieten. g members; and spring plates conrf bei' vto which pistes tbe ends ofthe Ytension members are connected toprevent excess lat# eral deecting stresses on Ytbe frame bres-king f seid.ten/ienmembers Y Y l. er dirgible'frame comprising an ax v disposed compression member; a series the compression chamber; tension members extending Vfrom vone end of the frame to the other-and Vconnected at intermediate points to the distending members, Vsaid tension Y 'ted'totlie ends ottiiefcompression meme Y i s1 iced distendino members Vsnrroundin -Y Y vDAVIDE Ross.k i 

